[2] Similar species include the humpback chub (Gila cypha) and bonytail chub (G. elegans), however, these fish have extremely slender caudal peduncles, smaller eyes, angle along anal fin base continuing above the caudal fin.

Large individuals have a hump on their nape, and a depressed head which is absent on the headwater chub.

Cover consists of root wads, boulders, undercut banks, submerged organic debris, or deep water.

In Fossil Creek, headwater chub seem to select depths between 0.9-1.5 m and velocities of 0.15 meters per second and are found over sand substrate.

[5] The headwater chub are associated with substrates including gravel, small boulders, and large in-stream objects.

In Fossil Creek, they seem to select depths between 0.9-1.5 m and velocities of 0.15 mps and are found over sand substrate.

[4] Activities that are known to be detrimental to populations should be avoided, including dewatering of habitats through re-routing stream water, stream impoundment, channelization, domestic livestock grazing, timber harvesting, mining, road construction, polluting, and stocking non-native fish.